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As I report to you from the San Jose airport, I look back at the days activities. It all started with a long, early morning as we boarded the bus once again for an experience of a life time. Today we visited a daycare for children that are in families that lie below the poverty line and they were all six years old or younger. These children were amazing and filled with energy, loving life. One of the girls even said "this is the best day of my life". After the visit to the daycare we had a walking tour of down town San Jose. Concluding our day of activities we were given some time to shop at a flee market, where there were all sorts of goodies to choses from. This lead to the long track to the airport and painful goodbyes. From LMU men's soccer we sign off for the last time in Costa Rica. Pura Vida

Part Two

By Sean Sears

Today was our last full day in Costa Rica. We spent most of the time travelling from San Carlos to San Jose. While a four hour drive might sound boring it was far from that. For those who do not know, our soccer team is obsessed with napping and will use any break period as an excuse to lay down and get some shut eye, even if only for minute. This was the only ride where almost our whole team stayed awake to enjoy the view of the valleys and the mountains as we winded our way through to San Jose. The view from the curvy rode was something that none of us wanted to sleep through.

We arrived in San Jose with only a couple hours to spare before the game against Saprissa. We got our legs up and prepared for what we expected to be our most competitive game. Our expectations of Saprissa were spot on because for most of the first half they dominated possession and scoring opportunities. We were able to score a goal on a set piece and went into halftime with a 1-0 lead. We ended up conceding 3 goals in the second half and lost the game to a team that was better than us. While were all disappointed in the loss, it was very unreal to play in an actual stadium and we all appreciated the experience. The Saprissa players were all very fun and nice kids and I think they appreciated the experience of playing against us as much as we did playing against them.

Part Three

By Jackson Criswell

Today is our final day in Costa Rica. After a late breakfast, we took our last bus trip to a center for under-priveledged children in San Jose. Most of the children were from single mother or abusive households. The children lived at the center for a cost of $300 a month, paid for by donors from the United States or Canada. With their faces and hands pressed against the window, we were greeted with huge cheers. s we walked in with LMU t-shirts in hand, we were mobbed by kids aged 1-8. Captain Craig Nitti was a fan favorite, with a dozen kids rushing to his legs within seconds. After an hour of chasing, dancing, basketball and piggyback rides, we left the kids and the center for the second part of our day; the walking tour of San Jose. In the tour, Emilio walked us through the iconic buildings in the capital. He explained Costa Rican history ranging from their civil war in 1948, to their government system modeled after the United States. We concluded the tour at a local flee market, where we shopped through stalls containing everything from hammocks to bamboo knives. Boarding the bus marked the end of the most rewarding day of our adventure. It was finally time to say goodbye to Costa Rica, and pura vida!

Day eleven. After zip lining, today was a much more relaxed day. First we woke up and had breakfast before leaving San Carlos. Our next destination was the country's capital, San Jose. Throughout the entire trip I have been waiting to travel to San Jose because it is the country's capital and is much more crowded than the previous cities we have stayed in. However, we had to take a long bus ride which turned out not to be to bad because almost everyone fell asleep on the bus. When we arrived to our new hotel I couldn't believe how nice it was. I felt like I was traveling with a professional team because of the way everyone was treating us. After the long bus ride, my stomach was starving and lunch couldn't have came at a better time. I had salad, fish and chicken. The food hit the spot. After lunch, everyone went back to their rooms and rested for the big game. We played against the most known team from Costa Rica, Saprissa. Whenever someone thinks about Costa Rican soccer, they think about Saprissa and how good they are. We not only got to play against their team, we also got to play in their beautiful stadium. Although we ended up losing the game, I will never forget that feeling when I took my first step on to the turf field. We played very well, but towards the end of the game we became fatigued and Saprissa took advantage. Once the final whistle blew, we gathered together and took pictures with the other team. They were really nice and welcoming. Hopefully one day I playing in a stadium like theirs. When we got back to the hotel everyone was tired from the game and decided to take it easy tonight especially because we have community service tomorrow and want to save our energy for the little kids. I can't wait to hang out with the children tomorrow and put a smile on their faces. With that said, Costa Rica has been a life changing experience and something that I will talk about for the rest of my life.

The day began early with the usual breakfast at the Tilajari Resort, consisting of rice, beans, potatoes, French toast, and an assortment of fruit. We boarded the bus around 8 A.M. and took off to go zip lining near the Arenal Volcano. Upon arriving, we hiked up to the main area and were quickly in our gear. A gondola took us up near the top of the mountain that we would soon be zip lining across. The view from the top was incredible. Looking down from the mountain we could see a huge lake which, using a hydroelectric dam, generates roughly 60 percent of the electricity in Costa Rica. We could also see the volcano, which was very steep, but the most shocking scenery for most of us was the view of the third zip line across a huge valley, over a thousand feet up in the air. Although most of us were very excited about the zip lining, there was an overlying feeling of nervousness and anxiety among the group, especially upon the viewing of this third zip line. Nevertheless, we all strapped up (everyone except Vince), and began our descent down the mountain on the zip lines. The first two were very short and helped us become accustomed to the technique of breaking when we arrived at the platform at the end of the line. Then, it was time to take on the third zip line. I was extremely excited to go and see the amazing view of the lake, the volcano, and the canopy of the rainforest below me while flying through the air. The journey across the valley was exhilarating to say the least. Flying through the air, getting whipped in the face with raindrops and getting to see such an amazing view was an unbelievable experience. We continued down a few more zip lines and eventually traveled down a zip line roughly a third of a mile long. When we all finished, we ate lunch at the main area again and then took off for La Fortuna Waterfall. Although it was not my first time zip lining, it was an amazing experience that I will never forget.

Looking Good Erush

Part Two

By John McFarlin

After our adrenaline filled morning, it was time to head for our last adventure in the Costa Rican Rainforest. I, like many of my teammates, took advantage of the one hour bus ride by taking a quick nap. We eventually arrived at the foot of a trail that would lead to the La Fortuna Waterfall. It was a tricky hike as we descended countless stairs, but the pay off was well worth it. We were all amazed at the massive size of this fall and the power of the water. Everyone got in and took turns trying to swim towards the waterfall as it pushed us back, with Jack McCracken, Mark Dotseth, Craig Nitti and Dylan Seedman giving the most valiant attempts. There was also a cool river running down where I enjoyed trying to catch fish with Cameron Krumpe as Coach Paul Krumpe watched on with amusement at our numerous failures. We found the climb back up the stairs to be quite the workout after last night's game, but experiencing this natural wonder was awesome.

Paul Blanchette in front of La Fortuna Waterfall

Alex Lam and Bryce Bacic exploring the river

Vince Paldino and Peter Velazquez taking in the sights

After dinner it was time for a soccer tennis tournament on an indoor court at our hotel. As always, competition heated up right from the first game. As teams got eliminated, the crowd grew and the atmosphere became more of a factor. In the end, Mackenzie Kim, Sebastian De Rada, Cameron Krumpe and Craig Nitti were left standing as the championship team.

Today marked the ninth day of our travels in the country of Costa Rica. Our day started bright and early with a 6:30am breakfast filled with delicious fruits, eggs, kielbasa, and pancakes. By 7:00am, we embarked on our Safari adventure down the Penas Blancas River. As we floated down the river, we came into contact with different animals including birds, iguanas, and howler monkeys. The howler monkeys were by far everyone's favorite. A family of about 15 monkeys was located in trees that were about thirty feet above us so we had an awesome view of them. At the end of the safari, we enjoyed a mid-morning snack at a local home located on the river. We were served homemade juice, baked bananas, and wonderful potato bread. This was our first true experience with homemade Costa Rican food and it did not disappoint. After finishing our snack, we headed back towards our hotel for the rest of the afternoon in order to prepare for our third match later that night.

After a relaxing afternoon, we headed to the city of San Carlos to play the first division side. As we entered the stadium, it began pouring rain with thunder and lightning looming off in the distance. As a soccer player, the opportunity to play in a setting such as this is a dream come true. While we enjoyed the pregame warm-up, we knew that our opponent was going to pose the toughest challenge that we have seen thus far. While our assumptions about the team from San Carlos were correct, we wasted no time in facing the challenge. The opening whistle blew and we immediately charged down field. Our very own Ryan Felix served in a beautiful cross from the left side of the pitch which met the head of Sebastian De Rada for our first goal of the match. Moments later, we earned a corner. De Rada served in a ball to the middle of the box and Seany Sears was there to head the ball home for a 2-0 lead inside the first ten minutes. This definitely stunned our opponent. They became very aggressive and frustrated the rest of the half but we made it out alive without conceding any goals. The second half started and the LMU defense stood strong and prevented any solid opportunities. As the half progressed, the referee became whistle-happy against us, throwing out many yellow cards before finally sending off one of our players for arguing about a questionable call. We did not let this affect our play and determination. About ten minutes after the red card, De Rada unloaded a shot from about 25 yards out that slipped through the goalie's hands into the top corner. This sealed the deal with a 3-0 victory over a very solid opponent.

This game was vital for our confidence, morale, and success for next fall. We all went to bed that night feeling extremely proud to be a lion and looking forward to the last few days in this beautiful country!

Part Two

By Jack McCracken

In the morning we went on a safari boat tour where we were able to see unique birds of Costa Rica and Howler monkeys. It was a great time but the real highlight of the day was our game against San Carlos. They had an awesome stadium and we took advantage of it early on. We scored a goal in the first minutes of the game. We scored another goal to take a 2-0 lead and then towards the end of the half goalkeeper Billy Thompson saved a penalty kick to give us momentum going into the second half. The game ended 3-0 and it was a great result for our team especially since the referees were clearly unfair. We look forward to bringing this intensity into our final game in Costa Rica and carrying this momentum into our fall season.

Part Three

By Mackenzie Kim

Today the LMU Men's Soccer team experienced both sides of the intensity spectrum. The day started especially early, where the team was on the road at 7am, bags packed and stomachs full from the scrumptious breakfast buffet. Getting an early start to the day is a common habit that the individuals in our host country perform, so that they can get to their work promptly and efficiently. However, we had a different activity planned. The team spent the morning on safari, a safari not like the ones you probably automatically assume, but a water safari. We were split up into groups of seven, and were placed into water rafts, just like the white water rafts from earlier in the week. The reason why our dreams were interrupted particularly early was because it provided a greater chance for us to see more wildlife, as most of the organisms protruded from their dwellings early in the morning. The safari was both peaceful and stimulating. The guides shared stories and made sure to point out any animal that caught their eyes. We were able to see Howler Monkeys, lizards, cranes, iguanas, and much more. The team finished the morning with homemade juice and snacks. Since it was scheduled that we were to play later that day, the majority of the afternoon was spent resting, with our legs up, so that we would be ready to perform that evening. The team we played was San Carlos and their stadium was close to an hour away from the hotel. All of the elements were against us that night, as it thundered and poured for a majority of the game. However, the LMU squad was able to overcome the adversities and finish with a strong 3-0 win over the opposing side. The boys fought hard and played very well. After drying and getting warm, the team grabbed dinner and got into bed to be rested for the next day to come.

Today the squad took off from our new hotel and started towards our newest Costa Rican adventure, white-water rafting. We were on the road for about twenty minutes before we made a quick detour to check out an iguana hotspot. Not really knowing what to expect we made our way over to where they were at. Wow, there were a lot of them. We spent about ten minutes taking pictures and watching what seemed to be like over 100 reptiles crawl and lounge in the trees and shade. Coach Krumpe called us back onto the bus and we were off to San Carlos.

About an hour and half later we had reached our destination. The town is most known for its exportation of pineapples and other fruits which have significantly increased over the last ten years. Finally, we made our way down to the river and met our tour guides and started to gear up. Dressed to impress in our helmets and life-jackets, we listened to some safety instructions from the guide. I won't name names, but it was obvious that some of the boys were a little nervous after hearing all the possible scenarios. And with that, we were off.

I jumped into a boat with Dylan, John, Jack, Bryce and Flores with our tour guide being Luis, which we changed to Louie. We started down the river after about five minutes of practicing paddling in sync together and learning the verbal commands. Soaking in all of the surroundings, we went down the first rapid and it definitely woke up anyone who was still a little groggy from their bus ride nap. The adventure had begun. At one point we all just looked at each other and no words even had to be spoken, we were in heaven. It doesn't get much better than this. Louie made the trip down the river that much more enjoyable. He was eager to answer our questions about the country and express his favorite spots along the river. His english was surprisingly good and he was quite the comedian. We took a break about thirty minutes in to enjoy some freshly sliced watermelon and pineapple. While the guides were dicing our snack, we were allowed to do some cliff jumping into the river.

Coach Mennel displayed a dominating performance in the splash competition. Krumpe looked like he was back in his prime with a well executed front flip. After everyone got there fair share of jumps in our guides were calling us back over. We scarfed down the fruit, which might have been the best we've had all trip and we were told to get back on our rafts. At first I couldn't find Louie and started to worry a little bit only to find him all the way across the river with a big smile on his face. I guess our group was going to get some extra swimming in. Everyone made their way across the current and finally got back in the raft. Once all in, we started back down the river. Louie would start us off with a "Forward boys" and count out our strokes with a deep "One, Two, One, Two". Pretty remarkable to see how everything we have done this trip requires us to work together.

Today was an excellent example of how we needed timing and execution to prevent our teammates and ourselves from falling into the water. An exhausting two hours later, we had made it to lunch and everyone was starving. Shoulders tired and worn out from the hot Costa Rican sun, we couldn't have been more happy to receive our plates of either chicken or beef, with rice and beans as our sides. Full and content, there was only one thing on my mind. Get back to the bus and take a nice nap. Once we stopped, I was woken up by my captain Seany Sears, and Coach Krumpe informed us we were going to have an inter-squad 11 vs. 11 match at practice. We had about two hours before training and apparently my nap on the bus wasn't sufficient because I was woken up about fifteen minutes before training.

Our hotel is massive and literally has everything you could every want including a full-size soccer field, which is by far the best surface we've played on. We had a very intense practice and looked very sharp. The MVP of practice would have to be go to my dear friend, Aaron Garfinkle. During our pre-training stretching, he happened to lay down straight onto an ant farm and was immediately covered in hundreds of ants. Unlucky for Aaron, but the rest of the team got a good laugh out of the situation before we began. After training we had a team stretch in the hotel pool and headed back to our rooms to shower before dinner. It is hard to believe that this trip is coming to end and we can't stay here the rest of summer. Our team is coming together more and more everyday and the anticipation for the fall is almost too much. I am just trying to enjoy every second of the day with a group of guys I would gladly do anything for. Pura Vida!

After a quick and final breakfast at our Punta Leona hotel we packed up and traveled north. We first made a quick stop at a bridge well known for crocodiles. While signage suggested otherwise, food was bought from locals on the bridge thrown down to the crocodiles to watch them eat.

A picture from the bridge looking down

Our afternoon destination for the day was the Baldi hot springs, which was one of the most unique places I have ever experienced. As you proceeded up the mountain the springs increased in temperature, culminating at a rock tower a few stories tall that poured water from the top. Many of the pools cascaded from one to the next. They had even created a sauna by closing off a room that looked like a cave and allowed the hot water to pour through it. On the way to the top there was a set of slides, which may have had a difficult time passing American regulations. While the most extreme of the slides was enclosed, a sharp turn and drop left you airborne and coming into the water from the side of the slide leaving a face of shock from anyone who popped out of the water after the exhilarating ride.

Photo of Baldi Springs (Taken by Sebastian DeRada)

After a short 40 minute drive we arrived at our newest home, a hotel in the jungle. At night it is difficult to see the exact nature of the hotel except that we are surrounded by trees With troublesome wifi connection in the rooms, it seemed as though a team meeting had been called as the majority of the team gathered in a wifi hotspot shortly after reaching the hotel to check up on the outside world.

Part Two

By Pedro Velazquez

After a free night that turned out to be great for team bonding, we had to wake up the earliest in this trip. This was because we had to pack up for our next ride to San Carlos. About ten minutes in the bus we stopped at the crocodile bridge. There were about fifteen to twenty crocodiles in and outside the muddy water. There was a sign at the beginning of the bridge that said to not feed the crocodiles but Captain Craig thought it was a good idea to throw some meat so the crocodiles would fight for it. I don't know why he would even think about that but he did. After being at the bridge for about twenty minutes taking pictures of the crocodiles, we were suddenly back on the bus and up for another stop for lunch. We stopped at a place about 15 minutes to the hot springs. We ate and quickly scoped the town for a while. When we arrived to the hot springs, the whole team went to the slides. Everyone was having a good time and some decided to try different types of ways to go down the slides. One example was Michael Erush who went head first on the fastest slide there was. He ate it really bad and was complaining about his back for too long.

The pools went from being cold in the bottom to really hot at the top of the peak. We were at the pools for about three hours and most of us were really over it. We were hungry and dinner was not until seven. We were patiently waiting for dinner while watching the Costa Rican soccer championship game. When it was finally time for dinner the whole team went up to the buffet. After dinner we left for our hotel and received our keys. Finding out that there was no Wi-Fi or channels in our rooms was low blow!

Part Three

By Leon Prikhodovskiy

Today we left Punta Leona and were headed for La fortuna. One the way we stopped by a local bridge where crocodiles hung out. Craig Nitti bought some meat to toss down there and we all watched the crocodiles devour the meat. We then went to the hot springs where we swam in different pools of increasing temperatures. Overall the day was pretty relaxing.

After a long day of hiking and swimming yesterday, The LMU Men's Soccer players we're rewarded with a chance to sleep in and enjoy a late breakfast at 8:30 AM this morning. Although the majority of the guys were struggling to keep their eyes open at the beginning of breakfast, we were quickly alert once a family of white-faced monkeys joined us for the first meal of the day. We ate our delicious Costa Rican food while the majestic monkeys put on a show just for us. However, as the monkeys in the canopy distracted us, a few of the cheekier ones swooped down the restaurant pillars and stole the sugar packets from the dining tables. Even though we were forced to enjoy our fresh Costa Rican coffee without artificial sweetener, no one could deny the incredible experience of being outsmarted by the incredible creatures.

Connor Hunsicker enjoying breakfast with one of the white-faced monkeys.

After breakfast, Coach Krumpe suggested an optionatory trip to the bustling beach town of Playa Jaco. The majority of the players attended the trip, as no one wanted to miss exploring any part of this beautiful country. The two hour excursion found the group buying souvenirs for friends and family, enjoying local Costa Rican smoothies, and walking through the nooks and crannies of one of Costa Rica's many culturally unique beachside villages.

Upon our return to the Punta Leona Beach Club Hotel, everyone was pretty exhausted, so Coach Krumpe kindly allowed us to have a few hours to relax. However, no good deed goes unpunished, and the end of our relaxation time was met with a beach run alongside our adventurous head coach.

To say we were excited about the run would be an understatement. The scenery surrounding our run turned even the laziest couch dweller (like myself) in to an avid, ambitious, Olympic caliber marathon runner (like Craig Nitti). The run began on the gorgeous Punta Leona white sand, and continued onto the rough terrain of the ocean side lava rock. The 30 players effortlessly traversed across the natural obstacle course and it was truly a sight to see. The run culminated with an uphill sprint to the top of a rainforest mountain, where not even the torrential downpour could stop our determined team from finishing our fitness regiment. Even though this was one of the quieter days of the trip, it was still packed with excitement, and carried on the awesome team bonding vibes that are turning the LMU Men's Soccer team in to brothers for life.

Part Two

By Eric Brunter

We awakened from our slumber at around 8 am today. This was a much needed time to catch up on our sleep since we have been waking up around 7 am each day. After we showered and ate a delicious breakfast we got to go into the nearby town of Jaco. We went window shopping and looked around in the tourist shops for interesting items to buy for people back home. Many interesting knick knacks were found and bought. Overall it was a great experience wandering around the beachside town and talking with my teammates. We left the town and headed back to the hotel for a much needed lunch as many of the guys were starving. After eating we had a couple of hours off before a beach run. All of the team took a nap for the couple of hours before the run. The team ran along the gorgeous beach and into the rain forest while rain was tumbling on their heads. The team bonded in ways they never believed were possible. Dinner was next on the plan and we embraced it with much vigor. No food was out of reach for the starving soccer players. Everything in sight was eaten. After dinner the team hung out around the fancy pool area enjoying the company of themselves and other fine patrons of the hotel. Many new friends were made during this night and bonds were deepened between teammates. Today was a good day.

Today we awoke at 6:50am to have a gorgeous breakfast amongst the trees at 7:00am. We awoke from our two-hour nap on the bus as we arrived in one of Costa Rica's national parks. It is the second most popular park and for good reason. We lathered our skin with bug spray and split into two groups with two different tour guides. We had Carlos, who is now a great friend of mine.

The first piece of wildlife we saw was a poisonous crab. Our group crowded around the telescope to take a close look at this never before seen animal. It was like watching starving people look for food. But the excitement only got worse. As we learned about plants we could eat to survive in nature or how termites are a good source of protein, the anticipation continued to build. But then it happened! We finally saw the one we envy the most, the sloth. She was holding her baby in the canopies of the tree and looked like she was sleeping at the same time.

We swam in the warm ocean amongst a cozy beach. We saw Toucan's feed their young. We shopped in markets of handmade creations. It was a day of adventure and a day of memories. We are in Costa Rica!

Part Two

By Dylan Seedman

As we departed from Punta Leona Hotel we headed to one of Costa Rica's most popular national parks known as Manuel Antonio National Park. The trip consisted of a 1 1/2 hour hike that ended up at an amazing white sand beach. Along the way our tour guide Carlos showed us tons of wild life, such as monkeys, crabs, spiders, lizards and much more.

After splashing around in the warm water we started our hike back to the town where we found many cool souvenirs and cool gifts to bring back home to our families. It was an amazing day spending time in the wild and experiencing nature that we never thought we would get the chance to see. Not only was the trip wonderful, the team bonding was even better.

After our early start to the day we started our journey to the beautiful Punta Leona beach club. We traveled south and the resort is actually located in the middle of the jungle but it is also close to the beach. Soon after we got off the bus you can tell the weather was more humid than Guanacaste. We played Jaco Race, a second division soccer team here in Costa Rica. The team came out strong and after a great halftime speech by the coaches, we were ready to go. The second half started with two early goals, and soon after we gained confidence and scored two more goals on them. This was huge for the team, and we were happy to get our first victory of the trip.

In the picture below we have Aaron Garfinkel enjoying his stay at the Punta Leona Hotel & Club.

Part Two

By Luc Brubaker

Today we moved our Costa Rican adventure to Punta Leona, four hours from the hotel in Flamingo. Although the trek over to the new hotel was long, there was a lot of beautiful scenery due to the variety of tropical plants and the amazing views from the the edge of the hill. The new hotel has not only brought new vegetation, but also new animals. We have already been exposed to monkeys, as well as other small mammals. This place is nothing short of paradise. Along with the pretty scenery came the pretty style of LMU soccer in our second game of the trip. After a very tough 0-0 tie in the first half, we came out on fire for the second. Scoring four goals in a game is a tough task, but we were able to accomplish it in a single half. Despite the rough field conditions, although the facility was beautiful, we were able to pull out a 4-0 win against a tough opposition. Many local spectators made it out to the match because if there is one thing that I learned on the trip, it's that there is nowhere else a Costa Rican would be, then a soccer field. After the solid win, the team drove back to the hotel to enjoy yet another delicious feast. Costa Rica continues to impress me, making me fall in love with the country with every step that I take.

Today we had the opportunity to take a catamaran boat tour, after our training in the morning. We traveled into a small nearby town for our practice and we were the talk of the town, parents and children alike came out to watch our training because Costa Ricans really love their soccer. After training we went back to the hotel to eat, and then we were off to the catamaran. The boat tour was a blast! We traveled about five miles then anchored, and the festivities began. This boat provided snorkels and fins for the more adventurous, and it also provided floating noodles for others to relax in the water. All of the people on the boat really picked up on the Costa Rican culture which means they were very friendly. The team spent some quality time together and the trip resulted in some great bonding. Everyone had a great time and was very respectful.

Part Two

By Michael Meissner

Today was a day where the entire team got closer together. We went on a boat ride called the Catamaran and it allowed everybody to get to know each other very well. Everybody was having a good time and we even had some dance competitions on the boat. Dylan Seedman was the star of the show trying to get everyone out of their seats to dance. This got everyone pumped up and the whole team was singing and dancing. Even the people who were on the boat that we didn't know started dancing with us and having a fun time. We then went snorkeling and everyone started having a mini party in the water and people were freaking out because a jellyfish stung someone. Once that was over we all got back on the boat and started doing flips off of the side. Even Coach Krumpe had some incredible backflips and Coach Erush dove off the side too. Fun Kyle opted out of the jump but everyone still loves him anyway. At the end of the day the whole team romantically watched the sun set and took some team photos and it was the perfect end to a perfect day.

Our second day here in Costa Rica was pretty fun to say the least. After a great night's rest from all the traveling we woke up to a wonderful breakfast. We went to our practice and trained on a nice field. It wasn't like the fields we were used to back home, but it wasn't horrible either. We had a nice practice and came back for lunch. Our pregame meal was delicious. It was now time to get mentally prepared for the game. A couple hours later it was off to the game. We weren't sure what to expect from the team we were playing. They had a nice stadium, the team seemed fairly young, and the wind started to pick up before the game. From the start of the game you could'tell they were used to the field and the way the ball bounced. It the game was pretty good, we had chances to score, but unfortunately we ended up scoreless. The other team was very friendly after the game and they seemed very interested to come to the United States. We came back to the hotel after and the team hung out together in the casino. Its kind of weird that the team was bonding at the casino, but everyone seemed to be having fun there. Overall today was a great day and we are all looking forward to what else Costa Rica has in store for us.

Part Two

By Akio Ohtake-Gordon

Today marked our first official day in Tico land. We have enjoyed our stay so far, but it seemed that our thirst for the game was quenched today with a practice, and most importantly, a game at 5! The game was against a professional second division team, Liberia FC about and hour and a half bus drive away from our hotel. The team got mentally prepared in the bus.

(Connor Hunsicker and Jack McCracken listening to music and getting pumped up while looking "tico-suavÃ¨").

After the bus ride, the team got prepared in the locker room, changing into our game jerseys, and lacing the boots up. Warm up gave us the news that the field conditions would not be very comparable to Sullivan field, with the dry, hard surface underneath a thick bushel of crab grass. After stretching, a few games of possession, and shots on goal, the whistle blew for kick off.

(Estadio de Liberia F.C.)

I sat the bench for the first 40 minutes, anticipating the opportunity of being able to finally play on international soil.

While observing the game, I noticed the opposing Ticos were very technical, much like our team, but lacked one thing in their game against us, and that was physicality. We dominated balls in the air and 50/50 balls were claimed as Lion territory. Yet, our team was not able to adjust very well to the dry and crab-grass turf of the stadium, hitting the post twice consecutively in the same play. The opposing team did not seem as affected to the field conditions, as this was home soil to them, and strung some very good give and goes across different areas of the field.

(Juan Sebastian De Rada made a big impact in the first half (don't worry coach Mennell I wasn't taking these photos).)

I got the chance to come into the game at around the 43-minute mark, and the whistle blew for half-time before I was able to make a great impact in the game. My hunger was abstained until the next whistle. Once the second whistle blew, I was flying, hungry on the right-wing and ambitious for any type of contribution to a goal, whether scoring or assisting. Throughout the second half, I was able to distribute a few crosses, and attempts on goal. One play particularly sticks out where I beat Liberia's left back with a quick step-over and slipped a quick ball to Trent Clifton. His shot was unfortunately smacked over the goal, as well as many of our chances throughout the second half. We created many openings to goal with great technique and bursts of great speed, but unfortunately the ball would not go in the back of the net. The game ended in a 0-0 tie. This was a disappointing result for our team, because we had a good 70% of the ball possession throughout the game, and outshot our opponent but a vast amount. Yet, considering how this is our first game in a very different atmosphere, it is not a terrible loss. Reviewing my personal performance, I found that I made a positive impact on the game, but I probably could have made a greater one if I demanded the ball a little more from my teammates. I need to get into some of my teammates, and show my passion and my tenacity for the ball is not to be taken for granted. This is definitely something that I will do in our next game in two days.

(Akio Ohtake-Gordon observing my next move;) )

After the game, we were able to express our gratitude for the opportunity to play the Liberian side, as well as get a picture with the team. The experience of meeting some of the opposing players even though they did not speak English was very humbling as they were very respectful of our culture, and even conveyed their intentions and ambitions of one day coming to our own country!

Part Three

By Bryce Bacic

Our second day in Costa Rica proved to be paradise. Now that we were somewhat recovered from travel, we could fully enjoy the day's activities.

We started out today with an early breakfast at 9:00am. Everyone agrees that the food at our hotel, the Flamingo, is very good After breakfast we left for a light training. The field we played at was about 30 minutes away and was slightly different than what we were used to due to the different type of grass and people burning their garbage in the corner of the field.

In the early after afternoon we had some down time we were allowed to relax and enjoy some free time, but had to stay out of the sun so we were not tired for our game later that day.

Around 4 we departed to play Liberia. The 1 hour drive took us into a part of Costa Rica that was much different than what we had seen. So far we have only been exposed to an area that is spread out, less developed, and has much vegetation. The stadium we played at was in the middle of a small city that reminded me of a smaller town in the United States, with smaller shops lining the streets and some venders on the street corner. Our game with Liberia was well played and ended with 0-0 being the result. Overall today was a good day and I look forward to tomorrow.

The second flight, from San Salvador, El Salvador to Guanacaste, Costa Rica, featured an aircraft that was less than accommodating for the larger members of the LMU Men's Soccer Team. However, it did provide members of the Nitti family the opportunity to bond over some quality family time:

Photographed: Craig Nitti and Gary Nitti

Photo Credit: John McFarlin

After about a two hour nap on the bus ride from the airport, we arrived at our hotel; the Flamingo Beach Resort and Spa. This is Paul, Vincent, and my view of the central pool from the balcony in our room.

Photo Credit: Paul Blanchette

Here we have the infamous towel elephant claiming one of the two twin beds to be shared between three six-foot plus goalkeepers.

Photo Credit: Paul Blanchette

The hotel provides great insight into the immense biodiversity that Costa Rica prides itself on. Costa Rica covers only 0.03% of the surface area of Earth yet accounts for 6% of the total biodiversity.

Photographed: One of the numerous iguanas seen roaming around the facilities.

Photo credit: John McFarlin

The food accommodations thus far have been delicious. We are served buffet style meals for both lunch and dinner and can expect the same for the duration of our stay at the Flamingo Resort.

Photographed: Assorted members of the LMU Men's Soccer Team enjoying lunch together family style.

Photo Credit: Billy Thompson

As you can see, today was a very taxing day on all of us.

Photographed: Paul Blanchette anxiously waiting the arrival of his partner for the evening to share the bed.

Photo Credit: Billy Thompson

Tomorrow is a big day and a big opportunity for the team. We are very excited as we get to showcase our abilities for the first time against a full Costa Rican side during our first game tomorrow afternoon!

This blog is written by Ray Ferrari, a sophomore
Communication Studies major from Eugene, Ore. His weekly recap of LMU Athletics
will be posted here every Monday allowing for a quick glance at the week that
was in Lion Sports.

The heart and soul of LMU athletics
in back with basketball season underway all across the country.

Friday night in front of a packed
home student section, the LMU men's team put on a show, destroying Pacifica
108-49 with stat padding and slam-dunks abound. The 108 points was more than an
LMU team had scored in two decades. In the Lions' first real test at SMU on
Sunday, that offense was nowhere to be found as the Lions lost 73-58.

The women's basketball team opened
up their season on a road trip throughout the Southwest this weekend. The Lions
fell 79-51 at UTEP on Saturday in the first regular season game for new head
coach Charity Elliott. LMU will look to salvage the trip tonight when the take
on New Mexico St.

In their final weekend of play,
the men's soccer team ended their season in style on a five game unbeaten
streak. Friday, the Lions drew a 0-0 tie against Santa Clara who finished
second in the WCC. In their final game on Sunday, LMU beat Saint Mary's 4-2 in
a heated shootout, ending the year at 4-5-3 and tied for fifth in the WCC.

Volleyball also had a strong
weekend, grinding out two key wins. The Lions beat No. 24 Pepperdine 3-1 in the
final home match of the year to improve to 7-7 in conference play. In a non-WCC
game Saturday, the Lions came back from down two sets to win in five on the
road at Cal State Northridge.

Men's water polo went on the road
last Thursday to end regular season play at Cal Baptist. The Lions barely came
out on top 8-7, making it four wins in a row with three of those being decided
by a single goal. The Lions are now 15-9 overall, heading into the WWPA
Championships this week

Both cross country teams competed
in the NCAA West Regionals in Seattle, Wash. over the weekend. 10 of 14 LMU
runners set personal records at the meet, with senior Sheree Shea finishing in
11th place and qualifying for the NCAA National Championships next
Saturday.

Both tennis teams wrapped up
their fall schedules this weekend with the men at the SoCal Intercollegiates
hosted by UCLA and the women at the Jack Kramer Invitational in Palos Verdes,
Calif. Both teams sent a handful of players to their respective events and are
now off until January when their main spring seasons will begin.

This blog is written by Ray Ferrari, a sophomore Communication Studies major from Eugene, Ore. His weekly recap of LMU Athletics will be posted here every Monday allowing for a quick glance at the week that was in Lion Sports.

With winter sports slowly coming into full swing, a number of LMU fall teams are fighting for position as they wrap up their seasons.

The women's basketball team opened up their season last week with a big 88-58 win over The Master's College in an exhibition game. With new head coach Charity Elliott, the Lions are looking to get back on top after finishing in a tie for last place in the 2011-2012 season.

After five straight matches without a win, the men's soccer team got on a roll this weekend in the Northwest with a 2-1 win over Portland and a 3-1 win over Gonzaga. This marks the team's first win streak of the year and puts them tied for fifth place in the WCC with a respectable 11 points.

Women's soccer went down admirably on home turf in their final game of the season against No. 4 BYU. Playing as tough as ever in hopes of seeking an at-large bid to the NCAA tournament, the Lions stayed with the now 18-1-1 Cougars for over 100 minutes before BYU came away with the 1-0 win in 2OT. LMU finished 3-5-0 in conference and 9-8-2 under first year head coach Michelle Meyers.

The Volleyball team split the weekend once again with a sweep of Portland at home Thursday before getting swept themselves at BYU on Saturday. At 6-7 in conference play, the Lions move to sixth place in the WCC, which now has four nationally ranked teams.

Saturday seemed quite familiar for the men's water polo team. In their final home match of the year, the Lions were barely able to extend their win streak to three games with a victory over No. 13 Air Force. After blowing a big fourth quarter lead, LMU took it back with a game-winning goal in the final minute to win 9-8, just as they did the previous weekend against UC Davis. With one game left on the schedule, the Lions are now 10-2 in the WWPA.

In their first double-dual meet of the season, the women's swim team hosted the University of Dan Diego and UC Davis Saturday morning. LMU defeated USD 154-108 but it was UC Davis that dominated both LMU and USD to win the day. The Lions only won four events, which included two by senior Camille Hopp, one from freshman Kristen Brennand, and a win in the 400 freestyle relay by the team of Hopp, sophomore Kjirsten Magnuson, senior Sophie Allen, and freshman Kristen Clarno.

This blog is written by Ray Ferrari, a sophomore Communication Studies
major from Eugene, Ore. His weekly recap of LMU Athletics will be posted here
every Monday allowing for a quick glance for the week that was in Lion Sports.

The open to the 2012-13 LMU men's basketball season comes at
a perfect time tomorrow with midterms mostly finished and the student body at
the peak of their excitement in between two Halloween weekends. But let's talk
about what has already happened in the wide world of LMU sports.

Lion water polo got back on track this week when the 11th
ranked men's team won both of its WWPA matches to improve to 9-2 in conference
play. Friday, LMU scored the game-winning goal with nine seconds left to beat
#16 UC Davis on the road. Saturday, the Lions won again on the road when they
took down #19 Santa Clara 12-7.

Volleyball had a strong week as well, which began Thursday
in Malibu when they took #23 Pepperdine to a fifth set before losing a close
one. Pepperdine needed 32 points to win the first set and 28 to win the second
set before LMU took back the third and fourth sets, which led to a close loss
in the final deciding set. At home Saturday, the Lions took care of business
against Gonzaga when they won 3-0 in a quick and efficient sweep.

After a strong season of races, the Lion cross country teams
both took 5th place at the WCC Championship meet in Portland, Ore.
Leading the men was junior Weston Strum who finished seventh overall while the
women's race saw senior Sharee Shea take third overall. The Lions will compete
at the NCAA West Regionals in Seattle starting on November 9.

Men's soccer had their bye week the previous week and after
12 days without a match, the team came out slow on the road against WCC leader
San Diego when they fell 2-0 on Wednesday. Sunday, the Lions ended a four-match
losing streak when they drew a tie against San Francisco at home. This gave the
Lions their fifth point and keeps them at sixth place in the conference.

The women's soccer team also saw a streak end but
unfortunately this was not a good thing. After winning three games in a row,
the Lions had a tough stay in the Northwest, losing to Gonzaga 2-0 on Friday
and losing to Portland 2-0 on Sunday. Remaining with nine points, the women are
now tied for fifth place in the WCC.

Continuing its start to the season, the swim team had
another strong showing at the Malibu Invitational over the weekend. The LMU
women won two of the three distance events and won 11 out of the 14 sprint and
mid-distance events.

The LMU men's golf team wrapped up their fall season last
week at the Bill Cullum Invitational at Wood Ranch Golf Club in Simi Valley,
Calif. After three rounds of play, the Lions finished the tournament in ninth
place.

This blog is written
by Ray Ferrari, a sophomore Communication Studies major from Eugene, Ore. His
weekly recap of LMU Athletics will be posted here every Monday allowing for a
quick glance for the week that was in Lion Sports.

Two weeks away from the WCC Championships, the LMU cross
country teams continued to look fast over the weekend. Amongst a strong field
at the Chile Pepper Festival race in Fayetteville, Ark., the women's team
finished in fifth place and the men's team received fourth place.

After seven consecutive wins, the ninth-ranked men's water
polo team was put to the test Saturday against #1 USC. The big home crowd
helped the Lions to a 1-0 lead at the end of the first period but the talent
and depth of the visiting Trojans proved too much to handle as the Lions
eventually lost 13-6.

The volleyball team got back on track Thursday with a win in
straight sets over visiting Santa Clara. After six straight home matches, the
Lions then started their stretch of two weeks of road games. On Saturday, LMU
fell to #13 San Diego in three games. The weekend split sent LMU to 2-5 in the
WCC.

Considering they played against a team that had not lost the
previous eight games in #18 Santa Clara, the women's soccer team performed
quite well over the weekend. On the road against the Broncos, LMU barely lost
1-0 as a late goal held up for the home team despite more shots on goal and
corner kicks by the Lions. Then at home Sunday, the team picked up its first
conference win against Saint Mary's in an offense-heavy 3-2 match.

Continuing to struggle, the men's soccer team lost another
pair of games during the week. After jumping to an early lead Wednesday against
visiting San Diego, the Lions could not hang on and eventually lost 2-1 in the
two overtime periods. At San Francisco on Friday, some defensive mishaps led to
two USF goals, sending the Lions to an unexpected 1-4-1 start in WCC play. The
Lions will receive a much needed bye week now before returning to play in San
Diego on October 24.

The women's tennis team played well on the road when they traveled
to Tennessee last week for the Memphis Invitational. On Friday, all six Lions
won their singles matches against opponents from UT Martin but lost 1-2 in
doubles matches against the University of Memphis. Saturday, LMU went 2-4 in
singles matches against Memphis and swept Drake in three doubles matches.And on Sunday, the Lions went 5-1 in
singles matches against Drake to wrap up a successful weekend.

In their first competitions of the year, the women's swim
team came out to a fast start as they earned a share of first place in the PCSC
Relays Saturday and dominated the PCSC Pentathlon Sunday, which were both held
at Biola University in La Mirada. Calif.

This blog is written by Ray Ferrari, a
sophomore Communication Studies major from Eugene, Ore. His weekly recap of LMU
Athletics will be posted here every Monday allowing for a quick glance for the
week that was in Lion Sports.

The ninth-ranked LMU men's water polo team won all four
games at the Claremont Convergence tournament last weekend, extending its
winning streak to a season-best of seven games. The tournament was a brief
break from the tough schedule of ranked teams the Lions have been playing and was
also a way to build confidence and momentum heading into a match with #1 USC at
home this Saturday.

The men's soccer team split its first home weekend of
conference games. Friday, the Lions defeated Gonzaga University 2-1 (2OT),
giving the team three points and its first conference win. Against the
University of Portland on Sunday, the Lions got out to an early lead but the
visiting Pilots kept plugging away before coming away with a 2-1 win.

After a successful fall preseason, the women's soccer team
opened up WCC play at home against the University of San Diego on Sunday. The
Lions dominated the shot count at 15-5 but the only shot that mattered was San
Diego's goal in the 64th minute, which led to a 1-0 loss to the
visiting Toreros.

Last week, the volleyball team continued its theme of
getting hot early but failing to finish. Thursday, the Lions came out firing
against visiting #16 BYU. But after winning the first two sets, BYU came out of
the locker room determined, fighting back to win the next three sets and
leaving with the victory. Saturday, LMU hosted Saint Mary's, a team the Lions
defeated 3-0 in Moraga two weeks prior. However, the Lions could not do it
again as the visiting Gaels won the match in four sets, dropping the Lions to a
disappointing 1-4 conference record.

Both cross country teams continued their strong showings and
fast finishes over the weekend. At the 20th annual UC San Diego
Triton Invitational, the women got their second team victory of the season,
while the men received an impressive second place finish.

The women's tennis team had a very successful opening
weekend as they competed at the Cal State Fullerton Fall Intercollegiate
tournament for their first event of the fall. LMU sophomore Tory Parravi won
the tournament for the top flight singles competition, with other Lions playing
well also.

This blog is written by Ray Ferrari, a sophomore Communication Studies major from Eugene, Ore. His weekly recap of LMU Athletics will be posted here every Monday allowing for a quick glance for the week that was in Lion Sports.

It was another full weekend in the pool for the men's water
polo team as the 10th-ranked Lions competed at the SoCal Tournament in Santa
Barbara. On the first day, LMU fell to #7 Pepperdine before defeating #17 Santa
Clara. This Saturday split led to games against #11 UC San Diego and #9 Long
Beach St. on Sunday, two teams that had beaten the Lions earlier in the year.
Despite this, LMU took down both opponents, earning a ninth place finish and
improving to a 5-1 record in the WWPA.

The volleyball team continued to look sharp this weekend,
but were unable to finish against conference rival and 16th-ranked San Diego
Thursday. The Lions, who have beaten some top tier teams this season, took
their confidence into the home match against the Toreros. LMU won the first set
and looked as strong as ever. In the second and third sets, LMU had late leads
but could not finish as San Diego went to 27 and 28 points respectively in
order to win. San Diego finished it out in the fourth, making it a 1-3 loss for
the Lions. Saturday, the Lions took care of business quickly, defeating CSU
Bakersfield in straight sets. They are 9-6 overall and 1-2 in conference.

LMU women's soccer got back on track Sunday, earning their
first victory in three weeks. The 3-2 win over Utah Valley improved the team's
record to 6-3-2 overall. The strong preseason has the Lions feeling confident
as they head into WCC play this weekend when they play San Diego at home this
Sunday.

The men's soccer team opened up conference play on the road
over the weekend. The trip started off strong as the Lions had the lead for
most of the game on Friday at St. Mary's, the reigning WCC champions. However,
a late goal led to an ending result of a 2-2 tie, giving the Lions one point.
Sunday, LMU lost 1-0 to Santa Clara, sending the Lions to a 0-1-1 conference
mark.

In their second tournament of the fall, the LMU golf team
played at the Saint Mary's Invitational at the Bayonet and Black Horse Golf
Course in Seaside, California. As one of the toughest courses the team will
play all season, the Lions struggled on both days, finishing in 11th place out
of 15 teams.

Both cross country teams competed in the Stanford
Invitational Saturday. In races that featured many conference opponents, the
women finished sixth out of 29 teams and first among WCC teams. The men also
ran well, finishing seventh out of 29 teams and second among WCC opponents.

This blog is written by Ray Ferrari, a
sophomore Communication Studies major from Eugene, Ore. His weekly recap of LMU
Athletics will be posted here every Monday allowing for a quick glance for the
week that was in Lion Sports.

With fierce
conference play looming, the LMU fall sports teams continued to face tough
competition over the past week as they gear up for the grueling weeks to come.

Arguably the
biggest win of the week for LMU came in Palo Alto Friday when the men's soccer
team defeated Stanford University 2-1 in overtime. Eric Brunter scored his
first goal of the season in regulation before Craig Nitti netted the golden
goal at the start of overtime. Continuing their weekend of matches with Bay
Area Pac-12 schools, the Lions played in Berkeley on Sunday but lost 1-0 to
Cal. LMU will head back to northern California next weekend to open WCC play at
Saint Mary's and at Santa Clara.

The volleyball
team opened up conference play last week when they traveled to Moraga and swept
Saint Mary's on Thursday. Then back at home on Saturday, the Lions lost a close
five-set match to San Francisco, dropping LMU to 1-1 in WCC competition. Litara
Keil was dominant throughout the weekend, recording 12 kills Thursday before
setting a career-high mark with 24 kills on Saturday.

Also going 1-1
for the weekend was the men's water polo team. Playing at #2 UCLA, the Lions
lost 16-8 on Friday night. LMU recovered quickly though and put on a show for
the home crowd the next day when they beat Pomona-Pitzer 13-7 in the team's
first home match of the season. Milutin Mitrovich led the team with six goals
over the weekend.

In Santa
Clarita this weekend, both cross country teams competed in the Mustang
Challenge. Jessica Mumaugh finished seventh overall, helping the women's team
cruise to a third place team finish. Michael Duncan led the men's team,
finishing eighth overall and helping the men earn a sixth place team finish.

This blog is written
by Ray Ferrari, a sophomore Communication Studies major from Eugene, Ore. His
weekly recap of LMU Athletics will be posted here every Monday allowing for a
quick glance for the week that was in Lion Sports.

Starting on the home front, the men's soccer team lost a
tough battle with No. 7 UCLA. Despite the strong defensive showing, one goal
was all the visiting Bruins needed as they earned the 1-0 victory and sent the
Lions to 1-4-1 on the year.

Four men's tennis players competed at the Costa Mesa Pro
Classic over the weekend. Sophomore Todd Volmari and junior Daniel Simko were
bounced in the first round, while sophomores Felix van Kann and Othar
Kordsachia advanced to the second round of qualifying play but no further.

At the NorCal Invitational hosted by Stanford University in
Palo Alto, Calif., the men's water polo team played four ranked teams in less
than 48 hours. They had close losses to No. 7 Pacific and No. 9 Long Beach
State, but pulled out wins against No. 18 Concordia and No. 11 UC San Diego.
The tournament split gave the Lions a 10th-place finish.

Both LMU cross country teams competed at a conference
preview race at Fernhill Park in Portland, Ore. The women ran to a second-place
finish while the men finished fourth at the site that will hold the WCC
Championships at the end of the season. Senior Sheree Shea finished with the
fastest time among WCC female runners.

The women's soccer team visited Tucson, Ariz. this weekend
for the Arizona Cats Classic. After a rough 3-0 loss to Arizona State, the
Lions slightly salvaged the trip with a 0-0 tie against the University of
Arizona, continuing to show they can play with anyone and advancing to 5-3-1
for the season.

The volleyball team kept their strong season going this
weekend at the Golden Dome Invitational at Notre Dame University in South Bend,
Ind. The Lions dropped a close match to the University of Kansas before
defeating Xavier and the hosting Fighting Irish for a 2-1 finish that was good for
second place.

The golf team opened their season at The McLaughlin
tournament hosted by St. John's at Bethpage Golf Course in Farmingdale, New
York. After three days of play at the Red Course, the Lions finished tied for
eighth out of the 16-team field. Senior Bryan Bergna placed tied for fourth
after repeatedly shooting under par.

Men's soccer continues to build its resume as one of the top programs in the west and in the nation. For the second time in three years a Lion has been named to the Herman Trophy Watch List, the men's soccer equivalent of the Heisman Trophy. The watch list honors the top 42 players in the nation. Rafael Baca was the first, earning watch list honors in 2009.

Men's water polo joins men's soccer in the preseason national rankings. Water polo, who are coming off four straight conference championships, are ranked eighth to start the 2011 Centennial Season. Men's soccer has been ranked has high as 19th by CollegeSoccerNews.com.